Carrick dismisses Pro Ref apology over Manchester derby VAR error as 'not meaning an awful lot'

Michael Carrick has said the apology issued by Pro Ref for the VAR error that cost Manchester United last weekend’s Manchester derby “doesn’t mean an awful lot”, even as he maintained his belief in the technology.

Howard Webb, the head of Pro Ref, acknowledged the mistake after Erling Haaland’s winning strike was allowed to stand despite Manchester City team-mate Enzo Fernandez being in an offside position that officials failed to flag. Haaland’s goal had initially been ruled out before a VAR review reversed the on-field decision, with the error becoming apparent shortly after full-time.

VAR officials Matt Donohue and Blake Antrobus have since been stood down in response to the incident, reigniting the wider debate over the system’s reliability.

Carrick, speaking at a press conference, acknowledged the admission of fault but was measured about its value. “Listen, one-off things can happen. At the time it was a pretty big one, we know that,” he said. “Yes, I’ve got faith in it, of course. It’s the system that we work towards and that we use, so the apology doesn’t mean an awful lot. I can appreciate it and I respect them for putting their hands up and saying ‘we got that wrong’. It happens.”

He added that the focus now must be on moving forward rather than dwelling on the incident. “Moving forward, we just have to deal with what’s thrown in front of us. Maybe we get one or two decisions on the back of how it balances out — percentages or law of averages or whatever that may be.”

The derby defeat left United with four points from their opening four games, and matters have since worsened. Brighton came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Old Trafford, a result that has prompted questions about Carrick’s future — speculation he has dismissed as “ridiculous”.

“That was a pretty big one to take and had a huge impact on that game, and that’s why it was particularly tough,” Carrick said of the VAR controversy. “It can have a big impact in that moment of time, but we can’t let it have an impact on the rest of the season. That’s for us to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.”